Vote counting machine



Feb. 9, 1943. J. H. RAND LPH 2,310,544

VOTE COUNTING MACHINE Filed 001;. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l JOHN H. RANDOLPH 1943- J. H. RANDOLPH VOTE COUNTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN H.RANDOLPH ATTORNEY.

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jwith the face of the roll I8, said position being maintained by the pressure of a small leaf spring 45 on the operating lever 42 which rests on the pin 46 that is mounted on the case of the register 4|. The spring 45 is also rigidly mounted on the case of the register 4|.

The roll I9 is provided with a plurality of rows 7 side of the material of the roll [9 and functions to limit the outward movement of the pin 41. Around each pin 41 is a helical spring that is under compression between the stop 49 'on the pin 41 and the guide ring 48 so that the spring 53 urges the outward movement of the pin 41 The spring'50' is' a stronger spring than the j spring 45 so' that as the rolls l8 and'l9 roll together the pins 4'! will engage the plungers 43 "and pushthem upward so as to raise the operating levers 42' and thereby operate the register'4l Now he cardboard is rolled between the rolls is" and 19', the-cardboard will function to press thepins 41 downwardly as indicated at 41a so "as to prevent'contact of the pins 4! with the notched feed plate 28 so that the notch 23 will catch the rear edge of the card 2|a and feed it through the slot 23 and between the rolls l8 and I9, and as the card is rolled between the rolls |8 and I9, if there be a hole therein where a vote was cast, one of the rods such as 41b will pass through the hole in the card and engage the plunger 43 to move it upwardly, and thereby operate the register 4| to register the vote that was cast. If there is no hole in the card 2|a, as the card is rolled between the rolls I8 and |9. the card board will depress'the rods at 41 as shown at Ma and will prevent the rods 41 from engaging the rod 43 and therefore no vote will be registered by the register 4|.

It is obvious that the cards being fed between the rolls l8 and I9 by the feeding mechanism plungers 43, but if there be a hole 32 in the card the pin 41b will pass through the hole and contact theplunger 43 to raise the plunger 43 and operate the'register 4|. In Figs. 1'"a'nd"2 the plungers 43' are shown as being in line with the face of the registers 4|;

This is done was to make the 'plungers 43 coincide with the holes 32 in the ballot card 2| as shown in'Fig. 7. It'will be understood that if invoting the ballot; the holes 32 were placed the middle as shown, the machine would be built with'the'plungers 43between the rows of registers instead of in line'with the rows of registers I so that the plungers "43 would again coincide with the row'of holes 32 as will readily be understood.

" The operationof the device is as follows: After the ballots have been voted by having a hole 32" punched in the space containing the turning the handle 33"or'being driven by the along the margin ofthe voting space instead of motor 40, whereupon the rolls l8 and I9 will ro l together and the links '26 and 26d will move the 23 460 28; each card is fed between the rolls l8 and I!) at precisely the same relative position to the roll I8, therefore each meter counts only the vote for its respective candidate.

It will be understood that a small number of blank cards may beput'in both the top and botrolled between the rolls l8 and Ml, they are discharged therefrom'into the receiving tray as Such modifications may be employed'as lie within the scope of the appended claim without departing from'the spirit and intention of the invention. Having fully described my invention, Iclaim: J

In a machine for'counting votes designated in a ballot card by perforations in the card and in candidate name carrying spaces defined on said card; adru'm having a plurality of registers therein, one register for each candidate space defined on saidballot card, each register having means exposed at the face of the register carrying drum for actuating" the register, a second drum, said seconddrum having yieldable means therein that is engageable with the register actuating means for the movement thereof to register a count on the register, said ballot card being passable betweensaid drumsand functioning to prevent engagement of the yieldable-means in the secondsaid drum with-the register actuating means in the"fi'rst said drum except in such to register a counton each register respective to each perforation in the ballot card. 7

JOHN H. RANDOLPH. 

